Details

Season

Number of guests

Suskeena Lodge

From September to mid-October this is fly fishing for big steelhead at its finest. All fishing is done by wading. They fish 3 anglers per guide with jet boat transportation.

Arrivals and Departures

All trips have the following itinerary with no flexibility. Anglers fly into Smithers on Friday and overnight at the Hudson Bay Lodge. On Saturday, depart for the lodge at 11:00 AM. The next six days are full days of guided fishing. Depart the lodge the following Saturday. It is suggested that you depart Smithers the following morning.

Accomodations

Accommodations are in five log cabins. Each has two beds, electric lights, wood heat and a bathroom. In addition, there is a wash house with showers, sinks and indoor toilets. The spacious main lodge has a comfortable living area and fly tying table in addition to dining.

Non Anglers / Activities

This is for anglers only.

Airport / Logistics

Anglers fly into Smithers on Friday and overnight at the Hudson Bay Lodge. On Saturday depart for the lodge at 1:00 AM, about a 45 minute flight. Then there is a 25 minute drive to the lodge on a dirt road. Lunch is served at 1:00 PM. After that you have the option for unguided afternoon fishing on the local water. There is an additional license of $40 that is needed for this that can be purchased at the lodge. The next six days are full days of guided fishing. Depart the lodge to Smithers the following Saturday. It is up to you if you would like to depart that evening or the following morning.

Climate

Fall weather on the Sustut is unpredictable as far a temperatures, with precipitation that is rain or snow. In general, it gets colder as the season gets later. Plan on nighttime temps below freezing. The daytime highs can be from the 30's to 50. With today's great technical wear it is easy to dress for comfort and success.

Included

Roundtrip air charter from Smithers, guided fishing each day, all meals and Canadian wine with dinner.

Suggested gratuities are $600 - $800 for the guides and staff for the week.

Medical Facilities

The nearest medical facilities are in Smithers which is only reached by the charter of an airplane or helicopter. Medevac coverage is mandatory.

Documentation

A US Passport is required.

Beverages

The lodge serves wine with dinner. Anglers should bring there own liquor.

Laundry

Laundry service is available

Phone, Internet, Power

Phone: paid phone

Internet: free internet

Power: 110 volts

Suskeena Lodge, on the Sustut River in Northern British Columbia is relatively unknown except among a core group of fanatics that fish BC every year prowling for giant steelhead. The Sustut has the largest average steelhead size of any river in the Skeena watershed. If you want to crack the magic 30 pound mark for steelhead you had better be focused on the Skeena tributaries. On the Skeena these include the Babine River, Kispiox River or the Sustut River. If you want to increase your odds for 30 pound steelhead, enjoy a wilderness setting and fish gin clear water...the Sustut is your place.

Suskeena Lodge is a nine-person lodge located on the Sustut River in the Skeena watershed in Northern British Columbia. Access to the Sustut is by private charter and there are no roads that take you there. It is a true wilderness steelhead fishery.

The season runs from the third week of August until approximately November 1 each year. September is a magical time as the leaves are changing, weather is moderate and dry fly fishing for steelhead can be off the charts. By October, it feels like British Columbia fall. Cold nights and sunny days make it feel more like steelhead season. This half of the season is slightly better for numbers and often offers low clear water. This is also the time the Skeena really turns on.

The cabins are by far some of the nicest cabins in B.C. for steelhead fishing. Each double occupancy cabin has a private bath, flush toilet and is well furnished. Cabins also include a stove and a sitting area. In addition to the bathrooms in each cabin, there is an additional washhouse with three showers, in the event that you and your bunk mate seem to need to shower simultaneously or one of you needs to sing loudly.

The main lodge is a charming, custom-built log building. There is ample room to relax with drinks after fishing, enjoy great meals or read by the fireplace. With only nine anglers, the atmosphere is just right.

Lunch is prepared by the guide and served streamside. Dinners are hearty, great food and you will be thinking about them as you fish in the late afternoon.

The fish are all wild, large on average and numerous. They travel twenty miles a day on average during their migration to their spawning grounds. They reach the Sustut less than a week after they arrive on the Bulkley, Babine, Kispiox etc. Keep in mind that the fish will be in the river for 6-8 months.

The river and valley are simply stunning. The views are constant and overwhelming. Each bend of the river brings giant cottonwoods and low-lying alder in all their fall splendor. The backdrop is almost always a high and frosted peak. The contrast is unbelievable. And through it all…a gin clear steelhead river with fish over 30 pounds.